One of the least-visited countries in Central America, peaceful Nicaragua still wages a battle against a lingering image of a war-torn country. But an ongoing tourism revolution means that its colonial cities, deserted beaches and lush rainforests are no longer the preserve of backpackers, with luxury eco-lodges popping up around the country and traditional cuisine getting a high-end makeover.
Sunset on the beach at San Juan del Sur. Image by Bruce Thomson / CC BY 2.0
The land of lakes and volcanoes has retained its off-the-beaten-track feel and much of the country has been preserved rather than developed. And it’s still good value. Laidback San Juan del Sur is the place for surfers in search of the perfect wave, where you can chill by day and party after dark. Little Corn Island ticks all the Caribbean boxes without the price tag: dive the reefs, feast on lobster, then flop into a hammock. Picture-perfect Granada is one of the oldest cities in the Americas and the place to feast on gourmet local produce, taste excellent rum and wake up and smell the organic coffee.
Granada: a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach. Image by Tara Joyce / CC BY-SA 2.0
Luxury accommodation
The opening of Mukul Beach Golf & Spa (mukulresort.com) has raised the luxury bar in Nicaragua. The family behind Nicaragua’s beloved Flor de Caña rum spent many millions of dollars developing the property on a four-mile stretch of untouched Pacific coastline near Rivas. Beautifully decorated by local artisans, 12 beachfront villas come with private swimming pools and the 23 casitas that cascade down the hillside have plunge pools on their front decks.
Castaway paradise on Little Corn Island, Nicaragua. Image by Hayden / CC BY 2.0
The laidback but luxurious Yemaya Island Hideaway & Spa (littlecornhotel.com) is the first stylish place to stay on Little Corn Island, a castaway’s spit of sand off Nicaragua’s Caribbean coast. The 16 spacious cabañas have decks overlooking the sea and rainforest showers with organic lotions and potions. Jicaro Island Ecolodge (jicarolodge.com) is an eco-chic retreat, a 15-minute boat ride from Granada on one of the diminutive isletas. Its nine casitas have decks with hammocks and views over Lake Nicaragua and Mombacho volcano’s perfect cone.
At Aqua Nicaragua Wellness Resort (aquanicaragua.com) near the fishing village of Gigante, many of the treehouse villas have private plunge pools and activities range from yoga to surfing and cooking classes. Morgan’s Rock near San Juan del Sur was the country’s first rustic-luxe, environmentally friendly lodge, set in untamed tropical forest overlooking the beach. There’s no air-conditioning, just the Pacific breeze and you can hike, cycle, kayak or simply lounge by the pool while your hedonism is offset by their environmental projects.
Fine dining
Wake up and smell the organic coffee. Image by Dennis Tang / CC BY-SA 2.0
Gallo pinto (rice and beans) may still be a Nicaraguan staple but now there’s more gourmet fare on the table, with chefs increasingly choosing local produce for their contemporary take on traditional dishes. The colonial city of Granada is at the vanguard of the trend. Espressonista Specialty Coffeebar and Restaurant was set up by three home-grown chefs, who use organic smoked ham from Mombacho and artisan cheeses from Matagalpa, and the finest high-altitude, shade-grown beans from the country’s best coffee producers. They even brew their own beer.
The fertile volcanic soil of Isla de Ometepe in Lake Nicaragua is the base for a growing community of expats-turned-organic-farmers who process their own meat, bake their own bread and grow their own organic crops. At the farm-to-table Café Campestre (campestreometepe.com) everything they don’t grow is locally sourced and they toast organic coffee the traditional way, in a clay comal, or griddle pan, over an open wood fire. And you can wash it all down with some of Nicaragua’s award-winning Flor de Caña rum.
Isla de Ometepe, Lake Nicaragua. Image by Laoska Benyasca / CC BY 2.0
Spa and wellness
Yoga and wellness retreats led by world-renowned gurus are increasingly popular. At Aqua Nicaragua Wellness Resort, you can salute the sun overlooking the water, on an enormous beachside platform, or have a private session on the deck of your own tree house, and their ‘Pure Wellness in Nature’ programme also offers classes in healthy eating.
The hilltop Spa Mukul’s (mukulresort.com/spa) six stunning casitas were artfully designed to be self-contained spaces, yours for a three-hour to a full-day pampering session. Each casita has its own signature spa ritual focusing on a different ancient healing tradition, from Ayurvedic treatments in the Healing Hut to healing crystal, light and aromatherapy treatments in the Crystal Temple.
At Yemaya Island Hideaway & Spa the yoga pavilion is surrounded by jungle greenery. Their customised Happy Pack includes anything from meditating on the waterfront platform to boot camp on the beach – you can even enlist the help of a Personal Happiness Consultant.
Adventure
Volcano boarding the black sands of Nicaragua’s Cerro Negro. Image by Beth and Anth / CC BY-SA 2.0
Speed along zip lines, hike up active volcanoes, kayak across crater lakes, dive pristine reefs without the crowds – there’s enough adventure on offer to satisfy the most exacting adrenaline junky. Nicaragua’s long been a haunt of surfers-in-the-know: flanked by the Pacific and the Caribbean, it’s been blessed with an abundance of consistently good waves and offshore winds. The added bonus of lakes, rivers and lagoons – Lake Nicaragua is the largest in Central America – is that they make the country an undiscovered sport-fishing hotspot, where anglers can pit their wits against heavyweight marlin on the Pacific or reel in a mammoth tarpon on the San Juan River or the Caribbean. Rio Indio Lodge (therioindiolodge.com) offers fishing packages. Diehard thrill seekers can try volcano boarding and descend the steep black slopes of Cerro Negro on a tobogganlike board. You’ll get panoramic views on the hike up to the crater, before you suit up and hurtle downhill, reaching speeds of up to 80mph.
Sarah Gilbert is a freelance writer and photographer based in London. A longstanding fan of Latin America, she spent nine months backpacking from Mexico to Chile and is always looking for an excuse to go back. She can be found tweeting @SarahGTravels